Dichotomous : Second Part

True- False Items

• It is the most popular  type of question most probably because  they are quick and easy to write, or at least  they seems to be. Actually, true-false  item takes less time to write compared to the objectives items of any format,but good true- false  items are not all that easy to write. to some extend,  false- true  items depends on an absolute judgement.
• With every true- false item, regardless  how well or poorly written, the students  has 50%  chance of guessing correctly  even without  readingg the item. 
• There are ways to avoid or reduce  the effects of guessing: 
• Encourage the students to guess when they do not know the correct answer.
• The students should be encouraged to equalise the effect of guessing. 
• Testwise students should prevent from having an unfair  advantage over nontestwise students.
• Students need to revise the false statement. this is to enable the student to alter false item to make them true by identifying the false part and underlining it. 

Suggestion for Writing True - False Items

1.  The method of marking true - false shoul be clearly explained before the students  begin the test
2. Construct statements  that are definitely true  or definitely false , without additional. Attributes the opinions  to some source.
3. Relatively short statements used and avoid avoid extraneous materials.
4. Keep true- false statement  at approximately the same length, and same number of true and false statement.
5. Avoid using double negative statements.This will cause the students to take extra time to decipher  and makes the questions difficult to interpret.
6. Avoid the  following:

• verbal clues, absolutes and complex sentences.
• broad general statement that are usually not true or false without further qualifications.
• terms denoting indefinite  degree ( large, long time, regularly) or absolute ( never, only, always)
• placing items in systematic order
• taking statements directly  from the  text and presenting them out of order.